


A place in front of a warm fire

by Ficletia (Inktvis)



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game)
Genre: Comfort, Cutagens | Cute Effects of Mutagens (The Witcher), Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Past Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-05
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-15 19:28:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28569255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inktvis/pseuds/Ficletia
Summary: Kiyan hadn't left Eskel's side since Geralt and he had gotten him out of the gods forsaken dungeon under Novigrad. He had even stopped hissing at the others. Mostly.
Relationships: Eskel/Kiyan (The Witcher)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 55
Collections: Witcher Rarepair Discord Collection





	A place in front of a warm fire

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a conversation in Witchers Rare Pair discord. A big thanks to the peeps there who introduced me to Eskel/Kiyan and encouraged me to write (and post and also looked over the spelling). ❤❤❤  
> First time writing and posting in almost two years. I'm N E R V O U S

Eskel didn't startle when a plate was put in front of him. His ears had already been straining for any sound from Kiyan since he'd found their shared room empty. The plate trembled a little before it made contact with the table, the hand which was holding it still too thin and weak even after spending so much time at Kaer Morhen.

Still, it was progress. 

Kiyan hadn't left Eskel's side since Geralt and he had gotten him out of the gods forsaken dungeon under Novigrad. He had even stopped hissing at the others. Mostly.

It didn't slip anyone's notice that only Eskel got the extra morsel, and it was only a morsel. Eskel smiled up at Kiyan in gratitude, meeting the cat's eyes.

"Kiyan, caught that for you. Must have been the last bird around," Vesemir said as he sat down in his chair at the head of the table.

Eskel heard Lambert mutter, "Probably 'cause it was lame," under his breath, only to be cuffed over the head by both Aiden and Geralt while Kiyan hissed at him.

"Thank you, Kiyan," Eskel told him. Instantly Kiyan preened and slid into the chair beside him, turning to picking on his food and ignoring everyone else.

Eskel chewed the morsel that Kiyan had prepared for him, enjoying the taste and the fact that Kiyan had caught it just for him, while normal conversation resumed around the table. Things needed to be repaired, just like every winter. Schedules were discussed and soon enough Eskel found himself on the other side of the keep with Kiyan following in his wake like a ghost, wrapped up in his clothes. Without needing to be told, Kiyan sat cross legged on a nearby rock, pulling the blanket Eskel had forced him to bring tighter around his shoulders. They'd talked about him being too close to crumbling walls when Eskel did his repairs. Or rather, Eskel had talked, Kiyan had hissed and eventually they had settled on a compromise. Now Kiyan's eyes flitted around, settling on the snow melting on the ground, on Eskel, on the wall Eskel was fixing with new bricks. Then they dashed to a cloud passing overhead, to Eskel, to the ice crystals hanging from a tree and gleaming in the sun, little drops hanging off the end. His eyes turned back on Eskel and Eskel preened under his gaze, couldn't help but suck in the scent of Kiyan mixing with his own through the clothes. And if Eskel looked over to make sure that Kiyan was still there and safe, no one had to know and Lambert and Geralt were certainly not here to comment on it.

When Eskel heard Kiyan's stomach growl, he ushered him back inside and into the kitchen. Lambert and Aiden had curled up in front of the fire when they returned to the great hall. Geralt was playing Gwent with Vesemir and no one commented when Kiyan lead Eskel back to the room they shared.  
Someone, no doubt Vesemir, had fed the fireplace. Kiyan flopped down in front of the flames, rolling a little away from it again when Eskel gave a warning growl. Then Eskel sat down on the rug beside him, leaning back against the sofa with the book they had started reading. After a bit of languid stretching, Kiyan laid his head on Eskel's thigh, the fingers of one hand curling into the fabric of his pants.

"Ready, Kiyan?" Eskel asked and Kiyan let out a noise that Eskel had learned to mean agreement. With one hand he opened the book at the page they had stopped at the night before, his other hand he laid on Kiyan's chest. Then he began to read aloud. After a while, Kiyan's heartbeat, always a little faster than a witcher's should be, slowed and Eskel felt him knead his thigh.

Eskel smiled and stroked a thumb against Kiyan's chest, feeling the faint vibrations through his palm that told him that Kiyan had started purring. The air was thick with their shared scent, intermingling with the smell of the fire and the snow from outside. Eskel slid down a little, resting more comfortably against the setee as he read. After a while, Kiyan sat up but Eskel went on. Kiyan's heartbeat was still slow and steady, body still curled into Eskel.  
Then he felt Kiyan's fingers carding through his hair, slowly braiding the short strands. He undid the braids, before doing it again, purring all the while. Eskel wrapped his free arm more securely around the cat.

"Enjoying yourself?" he said and Kiyan's purr picked up a notch.

His hair was braided and smoothed out again, nails digging into Eskel's scalp and making a low rumble start in his own chest. When Kiyan's breath hit the side of his neck, Eskel tilted his head slightly. A tongue slid gently over the stumble of his chin in little kitten licks, then up over his scarred cheek. Eskel shuddered slightly, stuttering out the next phrase he was reading as one of Kiyan's hands kneaded the cloth over his belly, the other the far side of his shoulders.

For a moment he closed his eyes, holding back the sting of tears Then he exhaled shakily. Kiyan nudged his nose against his cheek, gave another lick and made a questioning noise.

"Go on, Kiyan," Eskel huffed out. "I like it. Just don't know what I did to deserve your care."

Kiyan purred, continued the tiny kitten licks along his cheek, his scars. "Eskel... safe."


End file.
